


Shall I Stay

by hibiren



Series: Jay's Gladnis Collection [24]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Co-workers, Cute, Developing Relationship, Dirty Thoughts, Driving, Falling In Love, Fluff, Gladnis, Gladnis Week, M/M, Making Out, Rain, Romantic Fluff, Storms, Summer Gladnis Week 2019, Sweet, Thunderstorms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-02 14:34:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20277463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hibiren/pseuds/hibiren
Summary: [For Summer Gladnis Week, Day Six!] While coming home from work during a bad storm, Gladio sees a familiar face stranded at a bus stop and decides to swoop in for an unplanned rescue, and the evening takes a surprising turn while the two recover from the rain.





	Shall I Stay

**Author's Note:**

> For Summer Gladnis Week Day Six, a dual-prompt of both "Thunderstorms" and "Out in the Rain"!
> 
> Written while listening to: [Pentatonix's cover of "Can't Help Falling in Love"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSkHIv7GhOM)

The rain pounding against the windshield of Gladio’s car splashed and sprayed across the glass as his car’s struggling wipers tried to swipe the downpour aside. On his way home from work, pleasant trickles of rain started up but after a while, dark clouds charged in and brought with them thunder, lightning, dark skies and a barrage of rainfall.

His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as lightning crackled threateningly overhead. When he managed to ease his car to a stop at an intersection ahead, something seemed to bring his eyes over to the bus stop ahead to the right. When the light changed and he started off, a flash of wet blond hair and green eyes behind glasses caught his attention. He had to remind himself to be careful while swerving into the turn lane and making a quick U-turn to pull back in front of the bus stop. He was the only person on this stretch of road now and was thankful for it, no one could witness his reckless driving today.

Gladio waved and cracked his window, despite the fact that it let in a rush of rain against the car’s interior.

“Ignis! Get in!” Gladio called, and with one last regret to the meager shelter the bus stop’s overhang provided, Ignis rushed forward to whip the door open, practically flopping inside the car. Ignis barely had time to close the door before Gladio was back on the main road again, heading home.

“Gods, Ignis, you’re soaked! Someone stand you up on date night or something?” asked Gladio, gesturing to the suit jacket and oddly formal-looking purple leopard print shirt that poked through past his vest. It was just slightly more formal than his usual choice in work attire. “What happened?”

Ignis frowned while peeling the wet jacket away, making several varying faces of his discomfort. “No, Gladiolus, I was not _‘stood up,’_ I was… stranded. I was assisting someone from work with a project, we went out to eat, and… they had to leave in the midst of us finishing our work because of a family emergency. The rain was just an unfortunate coincidence.”

“Huh. That’s awful. Well, can I make it up to you? I’d be more than happy to take you back to your place, but how about you come over to mine? You can have a nice warm shower, and I can offer you some spare clothes while yours are drying. Just a short while in the dryer ought to do the trick. It’s a little late for coffee, but it’s hot, so it might help some.”

Ignis laughed. “You know me, I’m always drinking coffee, caffeinated or not.”

Gladio joined him in laughter, the air feeling lighter and the rain feeling somewhat less intimidating as they made their way back to Gladio’s apartment. When they pulled in, they made a dash for the stairs. After fumbling for the right key, Gladio unlocked his door and kicked his shoes off at the entrance, peeling his socks off; Ignis was quick and respectful in doing the same.

“I’ll get you a towel, if you wanna take a shower. Just leave your clothes outside the door for me and I’ll pop ‘em in the dryer for you. If they’re not dry by the time you get out I’ll leave you some spare clothes of mine. Unless you’re comfortable walking around my apartment nude, in that case, I wouldn’t care too much.” Gladio winked at Ignis, who swatted him on the arm.

“That’s awfully _fresh_ of you,” Ignis countered, but there was a strange gleam in his eyes. Or was it just his glasses reflecting the lights of his apartment? “Towel, please. I’ll… leave my clothes outside the bathroom door. I trust you to return them to me when they’re dry. Thank… thank you, Gladiolus.”

“Any time, Iggy.”

That was the first time, in all of the times he’d talked with Ignis both outside and inside of work, he’d finally dropped the nickname he’d been hiding. Ignis raised an eyebrow but chose to say nothing as he disappeared into the bathroom after Gladio handed him a towel. He made sure to turn his back until Ignis deposited the soaking wet clothes outside the door. After putting them in the dryer, Gladio found Ignis a spare shirt, some underwear, and a pair of sweatpants to replace the wet clothes by the bathroom door. After that, he just flopped over on his bed and muttered into it, “What am I doing?”

He’d realized he loved Ignis pretty much as soon as they’d met. Love at first sight might be cliche, but that never stopped it from hitting him hard. _Ignis is here. In my apartment. In my shower. Naked. Oh gods._ And trying not to picture the thoughts that wanted to play out in his head was beyond impossible for Gladio, who was hopelessly drawn to Ignis even though the only thing he knew for sure they had in common was that they worked under the same title position at their work building.

So Gladio continued laying on the bed, trying to clear his mind of the thoughts of varying degrees of vulgarity regarding him, and Ignis, and the bed he laid on. To distract himself, Gladio settled on making Ignis some coffee. That in itself should be distracting enough, but by the time Ignis left the bathroom, ruffling his wet hair with the offered towel and _gods damn, he looks so good in my clothes_ \- Gladio stopped himself from blurting that as he waved over from the kitchen.

“I’ve got that coffee for you, if you want it. You can put cream and sugar in if you want.”

“Thank you, but I prefer to drink it black.” Ignis smiled and folded the towel in his hands, and Gladio took it from him to toss into his bedroom’s laundry bin to be cleaned later. _Maybe, the towel smells like Ignis_ \- no, not again. Coffee. Coffee was important.

Gladio poured the coffee from the pot into a mug with a tacky picture of a stick figure and a caption that read, “coffee first, talking later.” It managed to get a chuckle out of Ignis and Gladio felt his heart leap into his throat. Suddenly he found himself at a loss for words as Ignis paid no mind to him, taking occasional sips at the coffee and smiling as it seemed to warm him.

Ignis caught Gladio staring and eventually raised an eyebrow as Gladio tried to push away the dreamy look on his face. “Can I help you? Is there something in my hair?”

“Oh! Uh… no, no, sorry. It’s just… it’s kinda weird, having you here and us not being together at work. It’s… nice. I’ve been meaning to ask if you wanted to hang out with me, but… I know you’ve been really busy.”

“Busy is certainly an understatement,” Ignis muttered, taking another sip of coffee before adding, “But… thank you for rescuing me from the rain. Your kindness is much appreciated. You always seem to be prepared and ready to help anyone who falls into something unfortunate.”

Ignis set down the half-empty mug on a napkin on the counter and turned, his hand pressing suddenly to Gladio’s chest and pushing him back against the countertop ever so slightly. There was a smile on his face - was that one of _flirtatiousness?_ \- as he spoke. “Gladiolus, I suppose… I ought to thank you for your kindness. Since we’re alone, and don’t have to fear any penalties for free chatting during work hours.”

“You… want to, uh…” Gladio’s eyes immediately darted back at the bedroom and he swallowed back a nervous noise, his entire head flushing pink from embarrassment at the implication.

“Do you?” Ignis asked while shedding his borrowed shirt free, folding it before putting it on the countertop beside the coffee cup. “I suppose I should explain myself. I’ve… wanted to keep things professional, but, there are times I picture us together, free of stress from work, and… I suppose I should at least make you aware of the things in my mind. But if you don’t want to, I can thank you for your hospitality and leave as if nothing ever happened.”

“No! Don’t leave,” Gladio blurted, reaching down to hold Ignis’ hand and return it to his chest. His heart beat strong and quick, but it just felt like the right thing to do in the moment. “Please.”

Gladio’s other hand reached down around Ignis’ bare waist to pull him close and Ignis just felt perfect against him as they embraced, the gesture quickly dissolving into the beginnings of a kiss. Ignis brushed his fingertips against Gladio’s chin, gently pulling him downward so their lips could finally meet. Gladio could have died happy in that moment, just knowing that Ignis felt the same way about him.

“Lead the way, if you’d like,” Ignis breathed, voice a whisper as they parted to catch their breath. “We can do as much or as little as you’d like. I’m just glad to be out of the rain.”

“Me too,” Gladio said with a nervous laugh, giving Ignis’ rear a tempting squeeze. “Guess it’s your turn to warm me up, huh?”


End file.
